Background

In May 2023 the University of Montana was selected to lead one of the first-ever Regional Innovation Engine awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF). UM’s project is designed to advance precision forestry and rangeland technologies in communities in Montana and Idaho. These funds have supported and developed a team of partners that submitted a pre-proposal in August 2024 to the NSF. This proposal was approved in October 2024 for final submission for a full award which could lead to as much as $160 million in additional regional economic investment over 10 years.    

The project’s focus, expertise, and partnerships have evolved in the time since the initial award. As the engine prepares for its submission of the final proposal, in Febrary 2025, the emphasis is on becoming an economic driver for the rural states of Montana and Idaho in rangeland and forest communities. The long-term vision is to develop and deliver ecological and economic solutions to regions of the country and world, where forest and rangeland management – along with fires, droughts, floods, and biodiversity loss– are regional problems of great consequence.